MM-Eh: Horodecki Up for Grabs

It appears that a feeding frenzy has begun to circle around
20-year-old wunderkind Chris
Horodecki(Pictures) now that he has officially become
a free agent.

Jeff
Clark(Pictures), one half of Horodecki’s North
County Fight Club management team, says his client was released
from his International Fight League contract last week at the
fighter’s request, clearing a path for prospective promoters to
voice their interest in the young striker.

Among the suitors for the baby-faced Horodecki (12-1) -- who piled
up seven victories in the promotion before meeting a brick wall
named Ryan Shultz in their rematch at the World Grand Prix finals
in December 2007 -- the WEC, Affliction and the Kentucky-based
American Fight League have all thrown proverbial hats in the
ring.

“The AFL has come in with a very generous offer,” says Clark, “but
Affliction has said they will match it or beat it.”

According to Clark, Affliction would like to book Horodecki in a
lightweight bout for its Oct. 11 sophomore event at the Thomas
& Mack Center in Las Vegas, while the AFL’s next event will
likely take place in November. An opponent has not been discussed
for either event.

Horodecki’s release from the team-based IFL further dispels
industry talk that the floundering promotion’s assets might be
purchased by Zuffa LLC, owners of the UFC. Launched in 2006 with
four teams that later expanded into 12 squads, the IFL held its
last event on May 16 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.,
before publicly declaring financial difficulties. With no aid in
sight and rumors of a sale to either Pro Elite or the UFC looming,
the promotion disbanded its New York headquarters in July.

Horodecki, along with IFL champions Vladimir
Matyushenko(Pictures), Jay Hieron(Pictures) and Schultz, was seen as a viable
acquisition perk if his contract could have been transferred over
to a new owner. However, that doesn’t look to be an option
anymore.

Sherdog.com reported Monday that Matyushenko will likely have a
rematch with Antonio
Rogerio Nogueira(Pictures) at Affliction 2 on Oct. 11, while
Schultz has been pegged to participate in Sengoku’s lightweight
grand prix on Aug. 24 in Saitama, Japan.

A native of London, Ontario, Horodecki also eyed Japan for
opportunities. NCFC management was contacted in June regarding a
potential bout against former Pride lightweight champion and fellow
slugger Takanori
Gomi(Pictures) in Sengoku, though the matchup
has yet to emerge.

One of the most popular fighters to ever come out of Canada,
one-time UFC middleweight contender David
Loiseau(Pictures) has spent the past two years
fighting in several different organizations since being released
from the Las Vegas promotion in 2006.

After a string of three Octagon victories in 2005, Loiseau (17-8)
challenged then-champion Rich
Franklin(Pictures) for his crown at UFC 58 “USA vs.
Canada” in Las Vegas, but took a pummeling for five rounds. A
subsequent loss to Mike Swick(Pictures) at UFC 63 in September 2006
signaled the end of Loiseau’s UFC welcome at the time.

Initially hurt by the rejection, Loiseau told Sherdog.com that he
learned to get over it.

“At first I felt disrespected, but then I understood that it’s a
business to them,” says the 28-year-old Montreal native. “Whether
you’re the nicest guy or an asshole -- whoever wins stays, that’s
the name of the game. This is how they run their business and I
respect it, and the only person to blame is me because I didn’t
fight to my potential and I lost.”

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has told Loiseau that he would be welcomed
back someday, but that he first needed to go out and get a few wins
under his belt -- something Loiseau is eager to do. In June, he
needed just 20 seconds to dispatch Andrew
Buckland(Pictures) by knockout at Raw Combat
“Resurrection,” and he’s getting ready to headline XMMA 5 on Sept.
13, a promotion of which he is a part owner.

Though Loiseau has fought for the likes of EliteXC and Calgary’s
Hardcore Championship Fighting, his heart still lies with the UFC,
he says.

“I have considered others, but the UFC is where it’s at,” he says.
“I want to finish what I started -- I got cut short and they didn’t
let me finish what I wanted to do. I changed my whole game and am
such a better fighter than before. I think I would give any
middleweight a headache. You’re going to love watching me even more
when you see what I can do now.”

Loiseau has also kept busy helping his teammates get ready for
their big fights. UFC champion Georges. St. Pierre will be
defending his welterweight title against Jon Fitch(Pictures) this weekend at UFC 87 in
Minneapolis, and Patrick Cote(Pictures) will try his hand at the UFC
middleweight crown against Anderson
Silva(Pictures) on Oct. 25 in Chicago.

Loiseau is very enthusiastic about Cote and his chances against the
formidable Silva.

“This guy has been in the Army in Bosnia and has seen people die in
front of him. He’s not scared of Anderson
Silva(Pictures) -- he’s not scared of any man,”
says Loiseau. “Cote is coldblooded, and that’s going to help him so
much.”

Goulet Mends Broken Foot

With his second-round “Fight of the Night” TKO victory over
Kuniyoshi
Hironaka(Pictures) (12-5) at UFC 83 last April in
Montreal now a three-month memory, you’d think that Jonathan
Goulet(Pictures) (22-9) would be stepping back
into the Octagon soon. Not so, as “The Road Warrior” told MM-Eh
that he was out of action for three months after breaking his foot
while training with friend and teammate Patrick Cote(Pictures).

“I was supposed to kick him with my shin, but he stepped back and I
hit him with my foot and it broke,” Goulet said. “Then after it was
almost better, I re-broke it when I was playing with my dog.”

The injury prevented Goulet from accepting a welterweight matchup
against U.K. standout Paul Kelly(Pictures) at UFC 85, which played out June
7 in London.

Goulet could barely walk for those few months, but the time was not
wasted. He made the trek to Renzo Gracie(Pictures)’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy in
New York City, where he indulged in twice-daily private lessons
with famed black belt instructor John Danaher.

If Goulet continues to get FOTN bonuses like the 75 thousand dollar
one he received from the UFC, he’ll be able to afford all of the
private lessons he wants.

Hollett Faces Hicks, Then Heath

Last week Sherdog.com broke the news that light heavyweight
Roger
Hollett(Pictures) would make his return to the cage
on Sep. 20 at ECC 8 in Halifax, and this week we reveal not only
one but both of his next opponents.

ECC President Rob Walker told Sherdog.com exclusively that Hollett
will be squaring off against Marcus Hicks(Pictures)(Pictures) (no relation to the recent WEC
competitor) in Halifax, and then he’ll be facing UFC veteran
David
Heath(Pictures) at MFC 19 in Edmonton on Nov.
28.

Hollett told MM-Eh that he’s wanted to fight Hicks, also known as
the “Loudmouth Assassin,” for quite some time.

“He’s said some s--- about my family and stuff, and he just talks
so much s--- it’s unbelievable,” Hollett said. “He just takes it to
a completely other personal level. It’s one thing to hype a fight
up, but he goes above and beyond that. It’s just very
disrespectful.”

Sporting an 8-12 record with a trio of losses in his last three
fights, Hicks seems an unlikely opponent for someone like Hollett,
who has big aspirations in the game.

“We’ve had a little bit of a history before where we’ve jawed back
and forth. So it’s good to finally be able to punch him in the
mouth,” Hollett laughed. “I’m definitely going to be trying to put
a hurting on him. The fans will enjoy it for sure.”

As for facing Heath in November, Hollett knows that it’ll be a
tough test, but said he’ll be ready.

“He’s a good fighter. He’s fought some of the top guys and he’s
probably going to be my toughest challenge to date,” said Hollett.
“But I don’t think he hits as hard as me and I don’t think he’s
going to be ready for my power, so I don’t see him taking this
fight.”

Quick Hits

• On the calendar this Saturday, East Coast Fight Promotions will
be in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, for its first event, and Xtreme
Cage Wars will be emanating again from Saskatoon.